tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760028470875334502018-03-05T15:54:35.127-06:00Suzanne PayneBlog for family, friends and writing. :)Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-30850940282682907012017-06-17T19:23:00.002-05:002017-07-04T19:30:22.161-05:00I jumped out of my comfort zone and it was AWESOMEOk, so I'm....*cough* fifty-one now. There. I said it. OVER 50.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9dXVx7icDc/WUXDvHItA6I/AAAAAAAAAeg/5JwsEUZ_jioIg8QaZLRry-a3yf6B9xtzwCLcBGAs/s1600/old-woman-cane-18640048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="999" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9dXVx7icDc/WUXDvHItA6I/AAAAAAAAAeg/5JwsEUZ_jioIg8QaZLRry-a3yf6B9xtzwCLcBGAs/s320/old-woman-cane-18640048.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (picture from Google Images)<br /><br />Some days, this is what I feel like I look like.<br /><br />That sounds so OLD to me. Like ancient. I should be wrapped up in Quilted Northern bathroom tissue and thrown into a sarcophagus.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r84YAIfZ6Zo/WUXD9QTRgfI/AAAAAAAAAek/Jho8Q0-fdO0uZAyr97tdFR--sAVE2F6TwCLcBGAs/s1600/king%2Btut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r84YAIfZ6Zo/WUXD9QTRgfI/AAAAAAAAAek/Jho8Q0-fdO0uZAyr97tdFR--sAVE2F6TwCLcBGAs/s1600/king%2Btut.jpg" /></a></div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (picture from Google Images)<br /><br /><br /><br />But, I'm still alive and kicking, so I need to make the most out of the time I have on this earth. I could kick over tomorrow and then they really would have to put me somewhere...preferably an urn. I'm not a big fan of the southern tradition of looking at somebody lying in a coffin all made up.<br /><br />So, I did something today. Something totally terrifying. I was more afraid of this than going into a haunted house with my daughter and husband. She wanted to go, so I made her go first. She has autism, so I thought she was going to lose her mind, but she giggled the whole time.<br /><br />Sorry, I squirrled. ANYWAY.<br /><br />So, I went to the Music City Romance Writer's meeting. That's one of two chapters of RWA (Romance Writers of America) in my state. Those people are writers. Legit writers.<br /><br />Most people wouldn't think going to a meeting would be a big deal, but it was to me.<br />If I'd walked into a clan of music teachers, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but these are writers. I guess I still feel like I'm not really a writer. I'm just trying to be one. <br /><br />They were all so nice. I can't tell you how at ease they made me feel, as soon as I walked in the door. They were introducing themselves and showing me where to sit. Their welcome was warm and inviting.<br />Not only was the meeting informative, several people read snipits of some of their work and the group critiqued it. It was so good. Great insights and nice people.<br /><br />I don't know what I was expecting when I walked in there. Maybe a firing squad.<br />Maybe for them to have an x-ray wand that when they held it over me, like they do at airports, they would see through me.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eC-WP2cPifU/WUXGxxcv8wI/AAAAAAAAAe8/5kKIrDa7ZUQ_xBM0lmAU2tGiFuHqxvNpQCLcBGAs/s1600/scanner-wand.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="625" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eC-WP2cPifU/WUXGxxcv8wI/AAAAAAAAAe8/5kKIrDa7ZUQ_xBM0lmAU2tGiFuHqxvNpQCLcBGAs/s320/scanner-wand.png" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;(picture from Google Images)<br /><br /><br />They would see all my insecurities stacked up on all my internal shelves, like my to-be-read stack of books. They would see that I'm not a legit writer, but trying to play the part of one.<br /><br />Nope.<br /><br />They saw a person coming in, wanting to learn as much as possible about how to get a book published and were willing to help any way they could. Because, they've all been there.<br /><br />I'll definitely go back next month.<br />So excited. :)Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-34831281782458061902016-12-26T15:34:00.000-06:002016-12-26T15:34:00.348-06:00Wait----has it been a year already?????<br /><br />The saying, "Time flies when you're having fun," just slapped me in the face when I opened up my blog.<br />I'm still in a little bit of shock that it's been a whole year since I posted on here. WHAT????<br /><br />So what in the world did I do for the past 11 months that I couldn't get on here and write something down??<br /><br />Okay, so here's a recap of why I may not have had time to post anything...maybe if I go month by month, I'll figure it out.<br /><b>January</b>: &nbsp;2016--Nephew's birthday, Punkin' Pie (PP for short, because I have a feeling I'll be saying her name a lot), was 3 months old and keeping us busy. And it might've snowed some.<br /><b>February:</b> &nbsp;Youngest turned 17. PP was 4 months old and still keeping us busy. Program at school.<br /><b>March:</b>&nbsp; Nephew's birthday, Mom's birthday, PP 5 months old, started teething with no teeth. Program at school.<br /><b>April:</b> &nbsp;I turned the big 5-0 and survived it. Surprise party from some school peeps. Really nice. PP 6 months old and scooting around. Crazy in our house.<br /><b>May:</b> &nbsp;Oldest kiddo turns 22. Our 26th anniversary. School the month of May is INSANE with Talent show and end of the year stuff. &nbsp;PP seven months old and starts pulling up on stuff. Now we have to watch her even closer. My partner teacher for the last four years left and went to a different school. So then I was going to have to find somebody new to work with the next school year. Major life adjustment.<br /><b>June:</b> Brother-in-law's b-day. Vacation to PCB. Took PP to the beach for the first time. She hated it...lol. Vacation was still good. Hubs and daughter came home late one night with new tattoos, which turned out really nice. Went to a specialist about my hip/leg pain. Sciatic nerve is being pinched. Another reason I haven't been able to sit and write much. Hurt too much to sit for too long and carpal tunnel in both arms. Started physical therapy-helped a lot, but still battling it, even as I sit here.<br /><b>July: </b>&nbsp;Nephew's birthday..Goat stampede to Savannah, GA. It was SO amazing to see the goats that got to come. So happy to spend a few days with them. I told them they feed my writer's soul and it is SO the truth. We spent some time talking about each other's writing style. They told me my writing was cinematic and very emotional. It was so cool hearing what other people thought about my writing style. I'd never thought about it before. I came back from there energized and raring to go. The only problem was with a baby in the house, it was taking all three of us to watch her...lol. No time for writing and it still hurt to sit for very long. &nbsp;Did interviews for my partner teacher position and one of my best friends steered me toward this kid that had done an interim at her school. I liked him automatically when I talked to him on the phone, so I hoped we would be able to get along well. When you have to spend 7 hours a day in a portable with another human, if you don't get along, you have a BIG problem.<br />Dad's birthday too...July was awesome and yucky at the same time. It really set in that I wouldn't be with my bud of the past four years and that was hard.<br /><b>August: &nbsp;</b>School started and kept me even MORE busy. I feel like I've written the word BUSY about 100 times in this post already and we're just to August. Youngest has autism and has a social skills group she goes to. So we have that once a week. Baby was keeping us hopping. She was becoming more and more mobile as the days progressed. Crawling like LIGHTNING. Partner teacher working out great, thank goodness. Still missing the old one. We text at least a few times a week because she will always be one of my best buds. Another best bud's mom died. That was hard. But new ways of doing lesson plans was keeping me busy. Very busy. I think that's 102...<br /><b>September: &nbsp;</b>Hub's birthday, oldest started college again. Going to a tech school and doing great and working. So proud of that kid. Stuff at school we had to stay after for, lesson plans, inservices, (teacher meetings), I'm starting to realize why I didn't cook much during the week during school....geez....can't hardly keep dishes and clothes washed and it's not even THAT busy yet.<br /><b>October: </b>Sis and sis-in-law's birthdays. Staying after school for parent-teacher conferences, PP started walking. Still no teeth. One of us has to watch her all the time because we're old and tired. Started planning for her birthday the first part of November and working on Halloween for youngest. Even though she is 17, she still expects to go trick-or-treating. Poured rain, so we didn't go to many houses.<br /><b>November:</b> &nbsp;PP's first birthday. Took the whole month of October to clean the house. Not even an exaggeration. Did some every Saturday. Cake was done by a friend of mine. SO CUTE! Then we had to put our 6 year old cat to sleep. He was our gigantic furry baby. We cried a lot and buried him in the backyard. Then ten days later, our old 14 year old dog decided it was time for her to go too. Two animals in the same month. We buried her next to the cat. At least Thanksgiving would come and we would be busy again and could stop thinking about it.<br /><b>December: </b>&nbsp;Another one of my besties lost her dad. Two friend's parents this year. Ugh. After the election and losing two pets as well, I decided this year wasn't the best, but our bright spot is always PP. She keeps us so busy, we forget the yucky parts. December in elementary school should be an Olympic event, under marathons. No lie. Any one that has a kid that age can tell you. December does. not. stop, until we're out of school. So for the three weeks after Thanksgiving, we are full steam ahead with three programs after school. That almost killed both of us and he's a LOT younger than me. Including our choir concert and a 4th grade program that included recorders. We've already said we're doing it differently next year.<br /><br />So here we are...the day after Christmas. Sometimes, I still think I see the dog outside walking past the door on the patio. And I miss my big old, black and white furry kitty. Since I've had two different friends lose a parent, I feel fortunate to still have both of mine. PP is walking and talking and into every cabinet she can open. She is becoming very 'opinionated'...lol. She keeps us laughing and we love her SO much. She is the light in our lives for sure. She opened presents this year for the first time. That was so fun. We had a day filled with food and just being together. It was a great laid back day.<br /><br /><b>Now onto 2017....Things I know for sure will happen:</b><br /><br />Oldest will graduate from tech school<br />Youngest will graduate high school<br />Donald Trump will be our president and that scares the hell out of me.<br />PP will talk her head off and we will enter a new level of having her own opinions..lol.<br />We have 3 programs we have to do in the spring semester of school and the talent show. That won't be easy.<br />The next 5 months will zoom by faster than lightning and we'll wonder how we survived it.<br /><br /><b>Things I would LIKE to happen in 2017:</b><br /><b><br /></b>I've said this every year for the past 3 years, but come hell or high water SOMETHING I've written is getting published this year. Not sure how it will happen, but I want it to happen. Focusing on it.<br />I would LOVE to be in a position to retire in the next few years so I can write full time. Focusing on that as well. I need a way to self fund my insurance, so there's that. I'll be working until the day I die..lol.<br />Both of my children, PP and hubs and my extended family to be healthy and happy this year.<br /><br />So that's what I've been doing this past year. It did fly by. We had good and bad, but everybody does.<br />Here's hoping your 2017 will be awesome. :)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M-Eup8okr0U/WGGIeYTz5_I/AAAAAAAAAd0/-xozzB5V_RUy72mRWuMheHINeWYtv-SfgCLcB/s1600/Happy%2BNew%2BYear%2Bchampagne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M-Eup8okr0U/WGGIeYTz5_I/AAAAAAAAAd0/-xozzB5V_RUy72mRWuMheHINeWYtv-SfgCLcB/s320/Happy%2BNew%2BYear%2Bchampagne.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-7675734952674627512015-12-31T19:50:00.000-06:002015-12-31T19:50:16.285-06:00Happy New Year!!!<br /><br />2015 Was a year of changes for our family. For sure.<br /><br />The biggest change was our new addition: &nbsp;Punkin' Pie. You know that old joke, 'Let me tell you about my grandkids.' &nbsp;And how everybody that doesn't have grandkids rolls their eyes at the offending grandparent? I totally get that now. I will officially become an offending grandparent.<br /><br />Cutest. baby. ever.<br /><br />So one of my goals was to get one of my books published, which, unfortunately, didn't happen yet. But since the preparation and arrival of the grandchild took nine months, I'm going to give myself a pass. I might've been a little distracted this year.<br /><br />You know everybody has a year end list, but I want this to be a 'looking ahead' list.<br /><br />Here are some of my top happenings of 2016, that I know of.<br /><br />1. &nbsp;I'm going to be 50 in April. So that is a huge deal...er...milestone, or it just means the clock's ticking and if I have things I want to get done, I'd better get on it.<br /><br />2. &nbsp;In 2016, I'm going to have a better handle on the whole Nannie thing, so it'll be easier to write/edit etc...I hope.<br /><br />3. &nbsp;2016 is an even number...for some reason, I just like it better...lol.<br /><br />4. &nbsp;This summer, we're planning a Goat Stampede. This is where the Goat Posse members get together from all parts of the U.S. in one place and have the BEST time. We have so many members in so many different places in their writing journeys, but when we're together, it doesn't matter. We enjoy hanging out with each other so much. It beats all odds of probability that we would all get along so well, but we do.<br /><br />5. We have two books, (that I know of) coming out this year in the Goat Posse. Of Delicate Pieces by A. Lynden Rolland and Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate. These are both going to be excellent books. I can not wait to get my hands on both of them. That's a definite positive for the year. I'm hoping mine will be number 3.<br /><br />6. Hoping to get an online store started for my daughter with Autism. She has discovered jewelry making and just loves it. One of my best buddies showed her how to do it and she's taken to it like a fish to water. So I'm hoping to sell some of her creations and save the money for her for down the road when me and her daddy aren't here any more to take care of her. And buy more beads with some of it too..lol...because beads are expensive! This is a goal I'm shooting for. I'm hoping I have the time to do this.<br /><br />Here's hoping your 2016 is full of love, laughter, good food and family.Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-74218568888520368522015-12-22T23:06:00.001-06:002015-12-22T23:06:18.522-06:00Grandma?!?!?! What???<br /><br />Yep.<br /><br />This has become my new title. It took me nine months to get used to the idea that my oldest college student was going to have a baby. That stuff usually happens to other people. Not my kid, right?<br /><br />Wrong.<br /><br />It happens. All the time.<br /><br />She wanted to keep the baby and so we have. We welcomed my Punkin' Pie on November 5th of 2015. She is precious. Punkin' Pie just kind of evolved from Punkin', since she was born close to Thanksgiving.<br /><br />When people would ask me if I was excited, I couldn't really be. I'd been through labor twice and neither time was a picnic for me. Had to end up having C-sections both times after being in labor for HOURS. I dreaded my daughter going through the pain of childbirth. I worried about complications, I worried about losing her and having to raise her daughter. I worried about a lot of things.<br />I also know that worrying about things you can't control is a waste of time. But when it's your kid, sometimes you just can't turn that stuff off.<br />So when the time came, I was privileged enough to be in the delivery room and watch the whole thing. We breathed and I held my baby up as she pushed hers out. She was a freakin' rock star. Pushed that baby out in 16 minutes. No lie. And she's not a big girl either. She's strong, but small, but made quick work of that 6 pound 2 ounce tiny little thing. Punkin' Pie was born with hair that covered her collar and was jet black. She's lost most of it now, but she still has the row of hair that covers her collar. So cute.<br /><br />So, what have I learned from having a new born in the house again?<br />I've learned that when you're close to 50, you don't have the energy to stay up more than one night in a row with a baby that won't go to sleep.<br />I've learned that staying out of the way and allowing my daughter to be the mom and do all the work is what needs to happen. For both of our sanity sake. Because I raised mine with very little help. I was the one that got up with them every night. Husband worked all the time, so other than holding them and feeding them every once in a while, the child rearing fell on me.<br />He's much more help with the grand kid, which is awesome. If I try to do everything for her, I'm not doing her any favors. She's learned what works, what doesn't and what her different cries mean.<br /><br />Now that Punkin' Pie is out and cute and snuggly, I can say how much fun being a Nannie is.<br />I picked that name since I'm a Goat Posse member. (nannie goat--lol) After getting my daughter through the delivery, I could actually breathe and enjoy the whole Nannie experience.<br /><br />She's close to 7 weeks now and starting to raise her eyebrows. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen an infant do.<br />When she smiles at me, my heart just leaps for joy. That is not even an exaggeration.<br /><br />I think the most important thing that's come out of this is our family is closer. We all have a common goal. Take care of Punkin' Pie. Whether she needs feeding, watching, changing, holding...whatever she needs, one of us is here to do it and to help my daughter if she needs it.<br /><br />If you ever cringe at the idea of being a grandparent, don't. I did every time somebody mentioned it, until she was born. But now, seeing my daughter be a mom is one of the proudest accomplishments of my life. And I'd hate for any of you to miss that with your kids.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-4195375569007062582014-12-28T12:34:00.000-06:002014-12-28T12:34:29.944-06:00A-Z Blog challenge 'B'The way I'm going, I'll only be able to do a letter every three months or so. To say I've been a little busy is like saying a honeybee is lazy. Now that school is out for another week and we all survived Christmas, now I have time to blog a bit.<br /><br />I'm on "B", so I guess I'd better look through my MS and see what B word I can pull out of there.<br /><br /><b>Barn.</b><br /><br />That is a place where part of the first chapter takes place. There's an introduction of a few characters and the main one and their horses. They gather in the barn to talk about some things and you get to know them a little. <br /><br />I grew up riding and even though I don't have horses now, I always wish I did. I miss riding and wish my kids could've experienced riding like I did growing up.<br /><br />I rode from the time I was little until I was in college. I guess since I missed riding so much and had so much fun during that time in my life, I decided to have my main character ride like I did. She has a lot of me in her. I guess most first characters do, just because you don't know what else to write about. So you write about what you know, and then your imagination fills in the blanks or makes new ones.<br /><br />I've looked around for pictures of barns that look like the barn in my head, but I have yet to find one that really is exactly like what I'm thinking of.<br /><br />Here's a picture of two barns that have features of the one in my head.<br /><br />The first one:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S-JMByOXqr0/VKBKa1zGfXI/AAAAAAAAAcI/-fCi0_PKr2Y/s1600/Barn%2Bin%2BNever%2BAlone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S-JMByOXqr0/VKBKa1zGfXI/AAAAAAAAAcI/-fCi0_PKr2Y/s1600/Barn%2Bin%2BNever%2BAlone.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />This is the shape of the barn that I have in my head. The middle is big, like most barns. The wood is not as new looking. It's more aged without looking like it's about to fall down. Still functional. Open on both sides instead of closed up.<br /><br />The second picture:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcqhIEevOQs/VKBK1V2fHoI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/00GS2LzGlhM/s1600/Barn%2B2%2Bin%2BNever%2BAlone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcqhIEevOQs/VKBK1V2fHoI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/00GS2LzGlhM/s1600/Barn%2B2%2Bin%2BNever%2BAlone.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>This one has the breeze way and the stalls on the left side, like in Andy's barn. The only difference is that there is a wall about three-quarters of the way up from the ground between the posts. So you still get some light, but if it's raining, you can stand in there without getting wet. Unless the wind is blowing really hard. There are about two more stalls, so it's a little longer and there's only one stall door split with a top and bottom half instead of two that slide to the sides.<br /><br />So attach the left side of this barn to the one at the top and open up the right side to park the tractor under and you've got Andy's Barn. :)Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-65418488513605811312014-11-02T10:59:00.001-06:002014-11-02T10:59:53.227-06:00A-Z Challenge-tweaked a littleSo....haven't been on here in &nbsp;a while. Trying to remedy that now. I was looking back at some of my blogposts and some of my favorite ones are when I did the A-Z blog challenge. It's so hard to blog EVERY day. I'm lucky if I can get to it every six months, but it helped me quite a bit.<br /><br />I'm not sure when they'll be doing that again, but I would love to do it. Met some really great bloggers while I participated in it. So for now, I had an idea I'm going to try. Don't know how far I'll get, but I wanted to see if it would keep me from forgetting to post something.<br /><br />I'm going to pick one of my WIP's and blog about them using the A-Z theme. Don't even know if this will work, but I thought I'd try it. :)<br /><br />Here goes.....My first post from the "Tweaked A-Z challenge" The manuscript I'm going to be using is "Never Alone." It's the first book in the trilogy I'm working on, but it's not the first book I wrote. I actually wrote this book second. Kinda weird...I know...but that's me. I've said it before, my brain bounces like a Tigger.<br /><br /><br /><img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /><br /><br />Image from www.disneyclips.com<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>So here's A: &nbsp;&nbsp;</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2L2-HLsYn50/VFZdIfsmmhI/AAAAAAAAAbs/-eJKTUlVP1c/s1600/'A'-shiny%2Bgold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2L2-HLsYn50/VFZdIfsmmhI/AAAAAAAAAbs/-eJKTUlVP1c/s1600/'A'-shiny%2Bgold.jpg" height="320" width="306" /></a></b></div><br /><br />A is for <b>Andy Akers</b><br /><br />I created his name from a friend of mine from high school and a co-worker's last name and put them together. He's not really based on anyone I know. He's a nice guy and he's had a crush on my main girl character since middle school. When the story starts, he's still in the 'friend zone' with her, but he wants to make sure she knows that he's ready to go to the next level.<br />The opening scene takes place at Andy's family farm.<br /><br />This picture is pretty close to what it looks like. I need to take pictures of the real place, but for now, this will work. Green grass, trees and a hill....this looks like it could've been taken in Tennessee, so I liked it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4JANpcJK7vI/VFZfeq0lydI/AAAAAAAAAb4/PUjU61NKoYo/s1600/Andy's%2Bfarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4JANpcJK7vI/VFZfeq0lydI/AAAAAAAAAb4/PUjU61NKoYo/s1600/Andy's%2Bfarm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a class="_ZR irc_hol" data-href="http://perfectanimals5.blogspot.com/2010/03/horses-beautifull.html" data-ved="0CAYQjB0" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=images&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CAYQjB0&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fperfectanimals5.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fhorses-beautifull.html&amp;ei=K2FWVOC1ItSeyATDhoCIAw&amp;bvm=bv.78677474,d.aWw&amp;psig=AFQjCNFgy9GjBaW8GvUggirQEwVJSP-OBw&amp;ust=1415032672343429" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #7d7d7d; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span class="irc_ho" dir="ltr" style="margin-right: -2px; overflow: hidden; padding-right: 2px; text-overflow: ellipsis; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">perfectanimals5.blogspot.com</span></a></div><br />That's all for now. Have a great day!Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-40606421795245526602014-08-18T21:46:00.001-05:002014-08-18T21:46:42.836-05:00Sam doesn't disappoint as Jamie Fraser So, two episodes into the fall season of 'Outlander' and I'm already in need of an intervention. I record the episodes and watch them.....over and over.<br /><br />It reminds me of when my oldest daughter was about 2 and a half. She's twenty now and would DIE if she knew I was outing her Barney addiction over the planet. But you know how parents are. We live to embarrass our children.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0lbQ2evcKc/U_K52s0OVoI/AAAAAAAAAbc/QrkfmpiAiZg/s1600/Barney%2C%2BBJ%2Band%2BBaby%2BBop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0lbQ2evcKc/U_K52s0OVoI/AAAAAAAAAbc/QrkfmpiAiZg/s1600/Barney%2C%2BBJ%2Band%2BBaby%2BBop.jpg" height="320" width="277" /></a></div><br /><br />Barney the purple dinosaur invaded our home without any prior warning around 1996. We found 1 Barney videotape (when VHS tapes were all the rage, lol) and she watched it...over and over. I knew and can probably still sing every song on the Imagination Island video. I challenge anyone who may think I can't. Those songs have been, not burned, but CAUTERIZED into my memory. "Just imagine....just imagine..imagine all the places we can go....and see...Imagination's fun for you and me..." <br /><br />I know you're impressed....anyway.....<br /><br />Now, back to 'Outlander', which only has one song with any words so far. And I almost know all of them, not quite, but I'm close. That's without even trying. That's just from watching the episodes *cough* numerous times. "Sing me a song of a lass that is gone.." You know it...;)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baM59AsUjVc/U_KzW49iDcI/AAAAAAAAAbI/h2MfS8XHIZ4/s1600/Jamie%2BFraser-horses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baM59AsUjVc/U_KzW49iDcI/AAAAAAAAAbI/h2MfS8XHIZ4/s1600/Jamie%2BFraser-horses.jpg" /></a></div><br />This picture of Sam being Jamie makes me happy....very happy. :D Look how cute he is....EEEK!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9914pnTe6cc/U_K4gH5BPEI/AAAAAAAAAbU/wmYUo5F5d68/s1600/Jamie%2BFraser-Highlander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9914pnTe6cc/U_K4gH5BPEI/AAAAAAAAAbU/wmYUo5F5d68/s1600/Jamie%2BFraser-Highlander.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And this one too....happy am I. Happy, Happy girl!</div><br /><br />So maybe now I kinda get why my daughter wanted to watch Barney so much. If a tv show or a movie evokes happiness or laughter, why wouldn't you want to watch it a million times? Makes sense to me. Just like my two year old drove me insane watching Barney, I'm sure I'm driving my husband insane watching 'Jamie Fraser on 'Outlander'. :) <br /><br />If you haven't joined in the addiction, you should give it a whirl. Outlander comes on Saturday night on the STARZ channel (in the U.S.) Not sure how you can find it in other countries. I know it's on in Australia on Foxtel. That's all I can remember right now.<br /><br />I'm giving them a free plug...they should be paying me. Oh well..:P<br /><br />Gotta go be a mom before it's time for bed!<br /><br />Night all!<br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-43469771132543357302014-07-21T17:42:00.000-05:002014-07-21T17:42:29.534-05:00Chicago Goat ConventionWell....I did it.<br /><br />I survived a trip in a plane, by myself. It was pretty awesome.<br />I saved my money for a year dog-sitting and saving 5.00 bills every time I thought about it and had enough money to pay for my hotel, food and cabs in the big city. I had no idea Chicago was such a beautiful city. Along with the huge skyscrapers like this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R77lt-xR8Ls/U82IyrXi3vI/AAAAAAAAAZs/7LnNV16kEOE/s1600/262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R77lt-xR8Ls/U82IyrXi3vI/AAAAAAAAAZs/7LnNV16kEOE/s1600/262.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>This was our view out our hotel window, by the way. I couldn't believe all the trees and flowers planted everywhere. Very nice, Chicago...I hope to come back one day.<br /><br />The main reason I went was to meet some members of my 'nationwide writers group' as we've been dubbed. We just call ourselves, 'The Goat Posse'.<br /><br />I've talked about these people before, but I've never actually been in the same room with any of them. We all live in different states all across the country. So having 8 of us in one spot was a new record.<br />Here's us before tackling the Navy Pier. We walked the whole thing, so we don't look as tired as we were when we were done...lol.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMWjlyxKIqE/U82JtBCfTJI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/J2SdedzmeHU/s1600/277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMWjlyxKIqE/U82JtBCfTJI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/J2SdedzmeHU/s1600/277.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here we are at the end of the pier. I didn't know there was a giant anchor there. Well kept secret.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-59Rscvyy0Aw/U82LFBWhu5I/AAAAAAAAAaA/yV-kFLDtRpg/s1600/289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-59Rscvyy0Aw/U82LFBWhu5I/AAAAAAAAAaA/yV-kFLDtRpg/s1600/289.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love this picture so much. Several of us said the lake and sky look like a background that we photoshopped in because it's so perfect. We even have a token seagull...that couldn't be real...but it is. I guess that summed up our trip. The weather was perfect...sunny and 75 every day. What is that??? In July??? yep. The company was perfect. We loved being around each other and listening to each other's WIP's at night after supper. It was perfect.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We're all so different. Our personalities, writing styles, genres... it would be so easy for us to have creative differences and not be able to get along...but that was SO not the case. Everyone is beyond supportive. One of the reasons we were there was to go to a book signing in a Chicago suburb to support three of the published goats. We were so proud of them as we stood in the back of the room, as the place was FULL! Here are pictures of&nbsp;Anita talking about 'Unhinged', Amy talking about 'Of Breakable Things', and Bethany talking about 'Summer on the Short Bus'. You can see their awesome book covers as they're talking. Yes, I tried to do that on purpose. ;) You can also see the rows of people...standing room only is an awesome thing for a book signing.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dw1M9Ve_h-U/U82TCOohSKI/AAAAAAAAAaw/dLLTrnIvof8/s1600/269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dw1M9Ve_h-U/U82TCOohSKI/AAAAAAAAAaw/dLLTrnIvof8/s1600/269.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSvvHq5tJOo/U82TOhDdg5I/AAAAAAAAAa4/y4Rh6cGzz6k/s1600/272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSvvHq5tJOo/U82TOhDdg5I/AAAAAAAAAa4/y4Rh6cGzz6k/s1600/272.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VaUQ-PNms-8/U82S2yu0p0I/AAAAAAAAAao/F1yS1BC7a5I/s1600/268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VaUQ-PNms-8/U82S2yu0p0I/AAAAAAAAAao/F1yS1BC7a5I/s1600/268.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We got to ride in a limo there and back which was SO fun and we ate Chicago style pizza on the way back at Giordano's, which was FABULOUS. But there were so many people at the book signing it ran way over, so we had to eat it in the limo. Definitely a good problem to have.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Being with all these talented writers made me appreciate them so much more than I already did. We definitely bonded. Bethany was the first person I saw in O'Hare airport, I almost cried when I hugged her because I was so glad to see her. To be able to see all these fabulous ladies in person...to be able to hug them and talk to them without an electronic device was the coolest thing ever.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was the last picture we took together in the lobby of our hotel before we hugged one more time and said goodbye til next year. Anita had to leave out early and didn't get to take this one with us. Appropriately, there's a hole where she should be standing.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JzASu7CXJwU/U82RA9Jeh1I/AAAAAAAAAac/XFBgT2AA-kk/s1600/GoatsinChicago2014-lobby2smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JzASu7CXJwU/U82RA9Jeh1I/AAAAAAAAAac/XFBgT2AA-kk/s1600/GoatsinChicago2014-lobby2smiles.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Bethany was the last person I saw before we had to go to our separate gates. I almost cried again&nbsp;</span><span style="text-align: left;">because then I knew it really was over and I had to head back to reality.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm proud of myself for having the courage to actually say, "Yes. I'm going to a place I've never been before to see people I know, but have never met in person." Most people wouldn't think that was a big deal, but for me, it was huge.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My friends from home said I was going on an adventure.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An adventure, indeed.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-12826885826894744022014-06-24T13:30:00.001-05:002014-06-24T13:30:24.060-05:00My first ever AUTHOR INTERVIEW! It's summer and you'll be hearing from me a little more often. Now, this is exciting stuff! &nbsp;My first author interview with: &nbsp;Dun, da-da dah! (Insert trumpet fanfare here)<br /><b>T. Michelle Nelson&nbsp;</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qb-uRIF2UJg/U40X0Hx23-I/AAAAAAAAAY4/wuTrVMXDZeM/s1600/T.MichelleNelson-author.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qb-uRIF2UJg/U40X0Hx23-I/AAAAAAAAAY4/wuTrVMXDZeM/s1600/T.MichelleNelson-author.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><br />I'm am SO excited to share this author with you! She was one of my first critique partners and remains a good writer friend. I'm SO glad we found each other. She is one of the first writers that read my MS and liked it. A few years later her <b>third </b>book is coming out. Her third installment of the <b>Lily Drake series</b> is called '<b>Death Warmed Over'. </b>It's&nbsp;a paranormal romance, which is one of my favorite genres to read and to write. If this lady is a new discovery to you, you definitely need to go back and read the first and second books in this series. Book 1 is titled, "The Life and Death of Lily Drake" and book 2 is "Til Death do us Part."<br />Here's her awesome cover for <b>Death Warmed Over:</b><br /><b><br /></b><img height="640" src="https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10296577_505777529548604_1253341185226732233_n.jpg" width="425" /><br /><br />Here's the plot description:<br /><br /><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #3e454c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>In the conclusion</b> <b>of the Lily Drake series, Lily must choose not only what is best for herself and her son, but for her people. Her sword will be stained with blood through her efforts to preserve the lives of the people she loves, but she won’t be able to save them all. When a devastating loss crushes her will to live, can Lily go on and be the leader she has to be? What is she willing to sacrifice to save others? Death comes to everyone...even the Queen’s house... What doesn't kill you will make you wish it did...</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #3e454c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><b>So let's get to know this awesome writer a little better.</b><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>When did you decide to start writing and why?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'm not sure I just decided to start writing. &nbsp;I think I've always goofed off and written stories. &nbsp;When I actually finished the first Lily Drake novel and realized I had a complete manuscript I started getting serious about having it published, but publishing was never really a goal until that point.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;">&nbsp;<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.65pt;"><b>Was there a particular book that inspired you or one that inspires you now?</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.65pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gone with the Wind. &nbsp;I guess it's the Southern gal in me that makes me love that book so much, but creating a character like Scarlett O'Hara that is so flawed that you still root for blew me away. I literally laughed and cried when I read that, and at times I would only allow myself to read one chapter per night because I didn't want to rush through it and it be over!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Tell us your pub story.&nbsp;</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wrote a book. &nbsp;I found a FABULOUS critique partner (ahem). &nbsp;I decided to send it out to publishers. Within two weeks I had a contract in my hand. &nbsp;I know - crazy, right? It was, and I am so lucky. &nbsp;I did receive some rejection letters after the fact, but having already have a contract in hand sure makes those sting a little less!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Was it hard to write a sequel and then another?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Originally I had no designs to write a sequel. &nbsp;The second book was going to focus on another character. &nbsp;My publisher wanted more of Lily, so I thought about it for a couple weeks and began writing. &nbsp;Her story had seemingly ended to me, so I had to mix things up a bit, but that's life, right? &nbsp;No one gets a happy ever after without something happening! &nbsp;The third book was maybe the most difficult. &nbsp;Saying goodbye to Lily after throwing myself into her life for so long was hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Do you have to be in a certain mood or a certain place before you can write?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Absolutely. &nbsp;I don't ever force it. &nbsp;I've found when I try, the story suffers. &nbsp;I think all the time, and eventually I will come up with some crazy storyline and I get excited about writing it. &nbsp;Until that time comes i leave it alone!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Now for some random questions, because my ADD brain is also nosy:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Favorite season and why?</b>&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Summer and Fall. &nbsp;I love getting out and doing things. &nbsp;I despise winter now that I live in the frozen north. Driving on snow and having to get out with all that white just depresses me. &nbsp;Spring would be okay, but my allergies are a nightmare, so I therefore don't care for Spring either!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Favorite drink-can be anything</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">COFFEE. &nbsp;The stronger the better.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Favorite color</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Green, although I almost always wear black. &nbsp;it's slimming, ya know?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Favorite author-past or present or both</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Margaret Mitchell (see above question) and Edith Wharton. &nbsp;I love me a good tragic love story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Favorite vacation spot</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Orleans. &nbsp;I hope someday it is my favorite spot to live in, not just a vacation spot!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Coolest moment as a writer or published author-can be anything, meeting some one you wouldn't have if you weren't an 'author' or anything like that.&nbsp;</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Too many to count. &nbsp;Getting a contract, then seeing my book cover for the first time, signing the first book, etc. &nbsp;However, the coolest moment was probably in Florence, Kentucky. &nbsp;I was doing a book singing at barnes and Noble and met this amazing little girl who I talked to for some time. &nbsp;She wanted to be an author when she grew up. &nbsp;She was sharp as a tack too. &nbsp;I have a feeling she will do great things and probably look back on the moment she met me and think"what a silly hack!" but it meant the world to me. &nbsp;Someday I will say that I met her long before the movies came out!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks for hanging out here and for all the great answers, friend!&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">If you like strong female characters that are fun to read, you need to pick up this series!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Good luck friend! I hop you sell a ton of books!&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Here are some of T. Michelle Nelson's social media hook ups:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Facebook at: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tmichellenelson?fref=ts">T.Michelle Nelson</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;">On twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/TMichelleNelson">@TMichelleNelson</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;">On her website at : <a href="http://www.tmichellenelson.com/">www.tmichellenelson.com</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;">On goodreads at: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22365380-death-warmed-over?ac=1">T. Michelle Nelson</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.65pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F3F3F3; line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 12.0pt; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div>Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-79491165542510710372014-06-22T23:11:00.002-05:002014-06-22T23:11:12.218-05:00Vampires, Dracula and Jamie FraserOkay....It's been a LLLLLOOONNNNGGGG time since I posted anything on here. By now, you guys are used to it, I think. So I won't bore you with why I'm just now posting something new on my blog.<br />I was checking on the traffic and what people were looking at. I keep seeing some of the same things that people are using for keywords...vampires, Dracula &nbsp;and Jamie Fraser.<br />I have to laugh a little at that because using both of those words in one sentence is just kinda funny to me. Jamie wouldn't like it, I can tell you that for sure. ;)<br />So.....<br />As I was reading the post I wrote about Jamie Fraser, I had a picture posted of this actor guy, Gabriel ..something..I'm not sure of his last name and it's too late at night for me to go look it up. Since I wrote that post at least a year ago, a lot of things have changed.<br />First of all...We actually have a REAL Jamie now.<br /><br />Stand by for major amounts of fangirling.....don't say I didn't warn you....<br /><br />If you haven't seen a picture of him, you've probably been under a rock. But just in case, his name is Sam Heughan...and let me tell you. He is Jamie. Perfection. OMG. Complete fan girl here.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b-L6j4lmg-4/U6elE_aEiZI/AAAAAAAAAZI/IJyvbScxOxg/s1600/Jamie+Fraser-Barn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b-L6j4lmg-4/U6elE_aEiZI/AAAAAAAAAZI/IJyvbScxOxg/s1600/Jamie+Fraser-Barn.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>This guy is just Jamie...you can pick this or that apart about him, but I will respectfully disagree with you. His voice, his expressions, his size....he's 6'4"...he's freakin' Scottish....how could he NOT be Jamie???<br /><br />Here's another great example of why he rocks at being Jamie<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YIftRMXiwW0/U6emvHLF8bI/AAAAAAAAAZU/ZZG6mIvsfHc/s1600/Jamie+and+Claire+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YIftRMXiwW0/U6emvHLF8bI/AAAAAAAAAZU/ZZG6mIvsfHc/s1600/Jamie+and+Claire+1.jpg" /></a></div>See?? See?? That LOOK! Do you see what I'm talking about now???<br /><br /><br />Here's one more just in case you're still not sure.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OmUvdi4GxV0/U6em-FGge0I/AAAAAAAAAZc/E5he-mrKRvk/s1600/Jamie+and+ticked+off+Claire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OmUvdi4GxV0/U6em-FGge0I/AAAAAAAAAZc/E5he-mrKRvk/s1600/Jamie+and+ticked+off+Claire.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>I love this one because there's just a small hint of a smirk that he does SO well, while Claire is completely ticked off.<br />It's great!<br />I cannot wait for the Outlander series to hit the TV screen on August 9th. If you don't have Starz on your cable yet, you'd better get it quick! :D<br /><br />So anyway, enough gushing...<br />I wanted to update my Jamie Fraser post so it would be accurate and truly show how much of a fan I am. I'm right in the middle of reading "Written in My Own Heart's Blood" which is the latest book in Diana Gabaldon's series. Absolutely love it so far. I hope she doesn't kill anybody I like, but you just never know..;)<br /><br />In other news, I have an author friend I've done an interview with that will be going up soon. She has a book coming out at the end of the month(June). As soon as I find out the day, I will post the interview. :)<br /><br />Until then, see ya later!<br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-17068146920217461462014-01-26T19:50:00.000-06:002014-01-26T19:50:18.161-06:00Videos bring us closer togetherI'm not sure how you feel about videoing yourself, but I felt like a big goober when I did it.<br /><br />Let me back up a minute and tell you why I'm talking about this. I have a group of writer friends. They are from EVERYWHERE, even Canada. We call ourselves the 'Goat Posse'. (That's a long, story that was funny at the time and you wouldn't get it, so we won't go into our sorted past...lol.) We cover every coast and a lot of states in between. They are some of the coolest, loving, most supportive people in the universe. But only a few of us have ever met each other in person. I've been fortunate enough for a group of them to Skype me when they got together in Vegas for the last two summers. So I've talked to a few, but not all of them.<br /><br />So one of them....young and brave Ashlee, made a video so we could hear her sweet, squeaky voice. I just LOVED it. To be able to hear and see her was so great. I giggled and watched it about four times. Then I thought, I want everybody else to do this too. Well....I couldn't want everybody else to do it if I wasn't willing to do it.<br />So, with my trusty cell phone, I tried to talk to it....delete. I tried again...delete. I felt like an idiot talking to my phone, but then I remembered who it was for. My crew. The posse. The people that are so full of awesome, they're getting published left and right. Two of them posted a video from ALA this weekend in Philly, I think.<br />After about 4 more tries, I got mine posted on our page..finally. In all the cringe-worthiness of everything I saw wrong in that video, of course...they didn't care. They didn't care that I didn't have on any make up. They didn't care that I had on a sweatshirt and a jacket because it had been freezing cold ALL day. They didn't care that my hair wasn't fixed. I'm not even sure I'd washed it that day. They didn't care that I'm about 40 pounds overweight and hate how fat my face looks in pictures now. All they cared about was me. They love me--who I am as a person and a writer. They are the people who told me I was a writer, because before any of them said it, I didn't really believe I was. I just liked to hang out with them because they are so awesome and I loved their work and them as people. Now there are only a few of them that haven't posted videos yet. I've gone back and watched the ones that are up over and over to hear their voices so I can hear them in my head when I read what they've written on the screen.<br />I don't know about the rest of them, but I feel closer to them now more than ever. They're more than just a name, picture and comments...we can hear each other....I think this is going to be the beginning of an even closer knit group.<br />Love all of you!<br />Precy, Ashlee, Angela, Bethany, Mary, Lisa, JLo, Anita, Darke, Amy, Eric, Phreshy, Justin, Kalen, Michelle, Kerri, and Rioghnach.Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-75804956166960945882014-01-22T22:27:00.001-06:002014-01-22T22:27:29.277-06:00Writing ideas....Are there ever too many?Wanted to say 'Hey everybody!' Hope y'all are all doing well. I've been out of commission on my blog due to work and writing and family and everything else.<br />On my mind lately as been all the ideas that spin around in my head like one of those tops you push up and down and it spins on the floor. That's my brain trying to choose one of those bazillion ideas to make my writing good enough to release out into the world.<br />I don't want to sound like I'm complaining about writing ideas that bombard my brain.....because its much better than being stuck and unable to write anything creative, but sometimes I just get so<br />OVERWHELMED.<br />The best way I can describe it is walking into Barnes and Noble...all those books.<br />All those choices....<br />When I'm writing, I have trouble reining in my brain. I write the plot in a direction...then after I've gotten in it a little, I change my mind. Because in my brain, it's not good enough or because it's just not quite right. Every time I change it, it feels like it gets better, but at some point, you have to decide to let it go and see what happens.<br />I haven't gotten that far yet because letting it go also takes courage. Courage I have yet to really feel. I know I'm going to get all these novels that I'm working on published at some point. I may just be 80 before it gets done.<br />I'd like to thank a friend, one of my 'goat sisters' for helping rein in my brain this week. She really understands how to keep me focused on the main plot and what's going on. Talking face to face via facebook and just talking instead of typing helps me a lot. We did some brainstorming and she mentioned something that completely felt RIGHT. Like on &nbsp;the nose, OMG, I can't believe I didn't think of that, right. So Thank YOU so much Angela Cook for helping me screw my brain back on and get me pointed in the right direction to get my MS published.<br />Also, I'm SO proud and excited for her! She accepted a contract on her MS that I've read and LOVED!<br />Can't wait to hear what the title will be. She'll have to come visit and do an interview.<br /><br />See y'all later!Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-52057143300000309042013-10-06T08:48:00.000-05:002013-10-06T08:48:18.885-05:00Here I go again, wiping off the inches of dustI checked my blog and I haven't been on here since May. That's a long time. I need to do this blogging thing better. But I didn't just not do anything while I wasn't writing on here.&nbsp;<div>Anyone that has elementary aged school children knows May is HUGE. It's just so busy. There's field trips and water days and end of the year everything.&nbsp;</div><div>This May, was especially busy. We had my daughter graduating from high school, along with all the other stuff I had going on at school. And her birthday is at the end of the month.&nbsp;</div><div>June was vacation and after that week, Things finally started to settle. Then I had time to really WRITE.&nbsp;</div><div>Which makes me happy.&nbsp;</div><div>Our summer break lasts for 10 weeks, which sounds like a long time, but when you're trying to cram as much writing as you can into every morning, it turns out that it goes by pretty fast. Then there's the house that I'm supposed to be keeping clean, now that I'm home.&nbsp;</div><div>My husband thinks I can pump out a novel and only write an hour a day. He doesn't get that it takes me three or four hours of writing and revising to get anywhere good.</div><div>So then he fusses if I'm on the computer for more than a few hours in the morning on Saturday.&nbsp;</div><div>And then asks me when I'm going to be done with it.&nbsp;</div><div>Is there anybody else's spouses doing that to them?? Or is it just me?</div><div>I didn't mean for this to become a rant and rave session. I'm not usually like that, but it's frustrating when you work really hard on something and get pretty far and then have to limit your time again because you have to go back to your real job.</div><div>Anyway....if this is you...keep on keepin' on is all I can say. 'Cause that's what I'm going to do.&nbsp;</div><div>Happy Writing People! Don't give up!</div><div><br /></div>Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-71760802373692384692013-05-04T21:14:00.000-05:002013-05-04T21:14:24.295-05:00Stranger on my blogWell, here I am again....and it's been about two months since I posted anything. I'm such a naughty blogger.<br />My only excuse is that my life moves pretty fast and between one daughter graduating high school and the other having A LOT of issues with anxiety at school, I haven't had much time to do anything else.<br /><br />I did want to give you a heads up though. I have a friend who's written a book and the music to go with it. He's got a multi-media thing going on and let me tell you--it's phenomenal. I'm not just saying that because he's a friend I've known since high school. He truly is a talented guy. Todd wrote the story of his life and when he met Missy, his wife. Her struggle with cancer is a story you don't want to miss. So if you're looking for a story with a happy ending with it's own background music, this is something you need to check out.<br /><br />If I've sparked your curiosity already and you want to check out his website before the interview, it's <a href="http://www.toddbillingsley.com/">www.toddbillingsley.com&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;You'll be able to sample one of the songs on the DVD he made to go with the book. Todd arranges songs too. This arrangement of 'Ode to Joy' is his and it really sticks with you.<br /><br />I'm giving Todd the prestigious honor of being the first author that I've ever interviewed on my blog. And not only did he write this and self publish it, but he is giving all the proceeds of the book to his Angel Flight charity.<br />I'll have more about all of this when I interview him.<br />I'm so excited! I hope I do this right. ;)<br /><br />I'll have his interview up in a few weeks. I can't wait for you guys to meet him. He's an awesome person.Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-57640289901041153942013-03-03T08:53:00.000-06:002013-03-03T08:53:35.534-06:00Haven't been on here in FOREVER. Decided to say 'Hi' to all my followers and hope you and your blogs are doing well. I've been working on my latest draft of 'Starstruck' and with my two friends Bethany and Angela guiding me, I'm hoping to have it finished, hacked back up and trimmed back down to a sleek, shiny finish by the end of the summer.<br />My oldest is about to graduate high school and my youngest is about to enter. Which is a whole other set of ..."OMG's"...<br />Oldest going to college won't be bad. She's staying at home to save money as we only live about 10 minutes away from the university my husband and I both graduated from.<br />The youngest going into high school is what scares me the most. High school is hard as it is, but when you have autism and then anxiety brought on by having to live in the middle school world every day, it's become so much harder.<br />If any of you have any suggestions on how to help her transition into high school, please let me know. I'm open to any and every thing. Her anxiety has become so elevated, I've had to put her on medicine and now she's developed Trichotillomania. Which is an obsessive disorder where she pulls her hair, eyebrows, eye lashes and everything else she can out of her head. The habit has gotten so bad, she's pulled most of the hair out of her head underneath the top layer. We cut her hair shorter, so it actually helps hide it a little.<br /><br />It's so frustrating to see your baby, who already has autism struggles have one more thing to deal with.<br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-68616366329996102032012-11-03T08:35:00.000-05:002012-11-03T08:35:47.492-05:00<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ztL_VE_NFPY/UJUS3Sv46hI/AAAAAAAAAXA/y_rOKRzMibY/s1600/Splintered+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ztL_VE_NFPY/UJUS3Sv46hI/AAAAAAAAAXA/y_rOKRzMibY/s320/Splintered+cover.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />My poor blog only gets the dust knocked off of it every so often because there is SO much going on in my life right now. Time for it always seems to be scant. So I save it for really important things I want everybody to know about. <br />Check out this book cover! This week I had the privilege to dive into this baby of A.G. Howard's and learn all about the real Wonderland. I've heard about this story for what seems like a few years, but it probably hasn't been that long. Now, finally being able to read it has been way cool. To hold a finished book in my hands that one of my friends has written and gone through the publishing process with is amazing.<br />This is a YA fantasy, but even if you're not a teen, you'll love it. The story she has crafted is both imaginative and beautiful. I loved it and asked her if she was conjuring up a sequel.<br /><br />The book's premise centers around the 'Alice in Wonderland' story, where the main character, Alyssa, is supposedly the great-great grandchild of Alice. She's a teenager who, of course, is crushing on a hot guy that she's been friends with for ages. Jeb, named, 'hot guy', is a good friend, but is currently unavailable, but sparks fly between them more than once. Morpheus, who is a dark, mysterious being guides Alyssa to find the path she must take to not only travel to Wonderland, but to fix the mistakes Alice made while she was there. Alyssa has to decode her tasks to ultimately save her mother's sanity. I don't want to give too much away, but all of it is beautifully connected. You'll have to read it to find out. :D<br />The Wonderland A.G. has created is much darker than the fairy tale you would be used to from Alice. The plot twists and turns just like Alice's adventure in Wonderland does, so just when you think things are one way, she surprises you with another revelation, changing everything again. A. G. does a fantastic job keeping the pages turning, so if fantasy books are your thing, you need to check this one out.<br />The release date for 'Splintered' is January 1st, 2013.<br /><br />It's on Amazon right now for pre-order and on Goodreads.<br />A.G. Howard's blog is at <a href="http://www.authoraghoward.blogspot.com/">www.authoraghoward.blogspot.com</a>&nbsp;and you can follow her on Twitter at @aghowardwrites<br /><br /><div><br /></div>&nbsp; &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><div><br /></div>Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-26056885706045086112012-08-19T22:10:00.003-05:002012-08-19T22:10:41.438-05:00Blogvel Chapter Well, I took the summer off from my blog without actually meaning to. Busy summer. Almost finished painting my daughter's bedroom the black and pink of that picture I put on here in May. Wrote the equivalent of a 11 chapters, but I have to figure out where to put it all and if I'm going to use all of it. Various other things as well kept us going. Vacation, daughter's last cheer camp. Dealt with all of that too.<br /><br />So before I 'left', I told you about a blogvel I was involved with. This is a book that is written by several different writers on their blogs. Everybody gets assigned a chapter. Michelle Simkins at <a href="http://www.greenwoman.wordpress.com/">Greenwoman</a>&nbsp;was the master mind of all this. Here is the <a href="http://greenwoman.wordpress.com/bloom-table-of-contents/">table of contents for Bloom</a> and everything everybody else has written up to this point. Some of the chapters may be hidden down in their blogs if they post a lot, so you may have to scroll down quite a way before you find some of them, but they're all marked as "Bloom chapter-whatever" so you'll know.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; So, here's my contribution.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Bloom-Chapter 12</div><br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The shrubs standing in the way of Jessica and Wanda’s progress shook and ruffled as if readying themselves for a fight. Thorny branches swatted at Jessica and Wanda as the spray coated the healthy leaves crinkling them to a dead, ugly brown. Jessica dropped the hose of the &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; canister and held her hands on her ears.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; “What’s wrong?” Wanda yelled. This wasn’t a one person job.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“They’re—they’re screaming at me to stop!” Jessica’s eyes squeezed shut and she hunched over in a ball.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“What?” Wanda couldn’t believe what Jessica had just admitted to. She could hear them? This didn’t happen a minute ago. Wanda couldn’t hear anything except the sizzle of the leaves as the chemicals fried the greenery. “Jessica—come on—there’s too many of them! I can’t do this by myself!” &nbsp;Wanda backed away from the approaching shrubs to pump the canister again. “Come on, Jess—I need you!” Wanda surprised herself at how desperate she sounded. Desperation wasn’t normally her style. For some unknown reason, this group of shrubs seemed to be more resilient.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Wanda continued trying to hold the shrubs back as Jessica fought to regain her composure. &nbsp;Her hands pressed against her ears as she continued to scream. The will to live bashed Wanda in the head and she screamed at the shrubs, “Stop it! Leave her alone—you bastards!” The stream of chemicals flowing out of the canister seemed to be lessening. Wanda’s chemical supply was low. She ran back to the Jeep. They’d tossed in two more canisters out of Jane’s Hummer before they left. Wanda raced back and stood next to Jessica with a fresh supply. “Come on, Jess. Kill the suckers!” Wanda yelled hoping to refocus Jessica’s brain.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jessica shook off the mental attack and picked up the hose again. When she pointed her canister hose toward the shrubs, they shrank back before withering and dying in the middle of the street. The trees seemed to be less intimidated by the spray. Jessica stood up straight and began pumping her own canister again. One of the trees thin green branches twirled through the air and swirled its way around Wanda’s middle causing her canister to fall out of her hands. A scream ripped out of her and echoed off the nearby hills. As Wanda struggled trying to fight against the thin, green rope-branch twining its way around her, Jessica pumped her canister with fierce commitment.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“Come on, Jess—you can do it!” Wanda choked out encouragement. The branch lifted Wanda off her feet and traveled toward the middle of the tree where Wanda was destined to be an afternoon snack. Panic set into her bones as she attempted to fight against the tightening grasp. Like any apex predator, once its prey was caught, the hold simply tightened until the prey gave up.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;I don’t want to die. The thought assaulted Wanda out of nowhere. As sour as she could be, down deep she wanted to live a little longer. Jessica flashed a purposeful look at her before she commanded.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“Let her go!” &nbsp;She sprayed the trunk of the trees and their roots causing them to cower away. Blood seeped from underneath Wanda’s arms where the bendy green branch dug into the flesh. Jessica sprayed the trunk of the tree gripping Wanda, but its grip loosened only a little. &nbsp;“They’re dying—just a little more should do it.” Jessica attempted to reassure her.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“Can’t breathe,” Wanda whispered. Her head swam with the lack of oxygen to her brain and her consciousness drifted.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Spraying the contents of the canister for another minute stopped the tree and Wanda tumbled to the ground like a ragdoll. Adrenalin pounded through Jessica’s body. She grabbed Wanda’s arms and dragged her back to the side of the Jeep. Lungs fighting for air, Wanda heaved in and out, trying to breathe normally again. They had to get into town ASAP. Wanda wasn’t in any shape to drive at this point. She could have broken ribs or something.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jessica wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to lift Wanda into the Jeep, but she needed to try. She needed help.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“Wanda.” Jessica patted Wanda’s cheek a little less than a slap. “Hey, wake up. I need you to get in the jeep. We’ve gotta get to town.” Wanda’s under layers of red curls stuck to her face from the intensity of their recent battle. “Can you stand? I can’t get you in here by myself, come on.” Jessica heard a rustle behind her. Another two trees lumbered their way toward her, threatening another onslaught. Jessica yanked Wanda under her arms and lifted as far as she could. Wanda yelped at the pain from several broken ribs and found her feet again.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“Kill ‘em, Jess! We can’t leave any of them alive!” Wanda’s hoarse words stung through Jessica as she pumped the canister. Her arms dangled off her shoulders like wet noodles and tears streamed down her face wondering if she would have the strength to finish off these two predators. &nbsp;Jessica sprayed the last two trees until the threat ceased.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;When Jessica stopped spraying, they shared a silent glance and she helped Wanda into the jeep. Wanda hissed through her teeth when she raised her leg and used the ‘oh crap’ handle to pull her weight onto the bucket seat, but said nothing else. Jessica would have to drive now. Once inside and back on the road, Jessica spoke.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“They told me they’d kill you for me.” Jessica said, staring straight ahead, her voice shaky.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“You want me dead?” Wanda smirked.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“After you sliced me up…yeah. I considered it.” For several minutes, the only sounds in the jeep were the engine and the tires rolling over the road. “They said you were evil and you just wanted me dead.”<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Instead of reacting in defense of her personality flaws, Wanda’s scientific curiosity rose at the new circumstance. “You mean you’ve got some kind of mental connection with them? That doesn’t make sense. We bled all of the plant material out of you.” Keeping her body straight and stiff against the seat, Wanda only turned her head toward Jessica while Jessica drove.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“But it was a part of my body. They were a part of me. I was…one of them.” Jessica said, shuddering. “But…”<br />She white-knuckled the steering wheel and squirmed around in her seat uncomfortable, with being so open and honest with Wanda.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“But—?” Wanda led her to finish. &nbsp;<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“When you sorta came to my rescue…it changed my mind. For a split second you were like a ….”<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“Spit it out, kid.”<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“Like a sister!” Jessica spat the words at Wanda and then and turned her eyes back toward the road. “I thought maybe there might still be some good in you after all. That’s why I picked up the canister and killed them.”<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“I’m not sure I’m sister material.” Wanda said, staring at the road. Silence settled between them as Jessica drove toward town.<br /><br /><br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Coming down the hill toward the first red light, a car was sitting at an awkward angle in the road. The open car door turned Jessica’s stomach and she slowed the Jeep approaching with caution. Wanda turned her head a little and scanned out the window while Jessica kept the Jeep on the road, but more in the middle to maneuver around the awkward angle the car sat in blocking the road. A wide shiny spot in the road registered as a large puddle of blood once the Jeep rolled closer to the scene. Shivers overwhelmed Jessica’s body when she realized the Jeep’s tires would have to roll through the blood to move past the abandoned car.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Looking past two more cars whose drivers had shared the same fate, the street pulsated with groups of people screaming and running as a tree picked up a man trying to fight back with a shotgun. The tree lowered the man into the top of its trunk and bit him in half throwing the bloody stump of his torso and legs to the ground. Jessica slammed on her brakes taking in the scene. She’d never seen anything like it, except in a horror movie. All that stuff was fake. This was real.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Another three men came at the tree with chainsaws and began slicing the branches away, but the tree’s other branches could be used as well. The odds stood overwhelmingly against them. &nbsp;The tree took bites of each of the men as if tasting three different flavors of ice cream and trying to decide which flavor to eat first. The crowd screamed as they watched helplessly. The brave men were soon consumed by the tree leaving the chainsaws lying on the ground with their motors spinning, abandoned on the pavement of Main Street.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jessica stared at the scene and threw the Jeep into park. She knew between them, they only had a canister and a half of weed killer left. Would it be enough?<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;“What are we gonna do?” Jessica asked Wanda.<br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-68303639469161385052012-06-06T20:20:00.000-05:002012-06-06T20:20:19.585-05:00Just a quick Thanks!I wanted to let you know that Chapter one of 'Bloom' is up on <a href="http://www.greenwoman.wordpress.com/">Greenwoman</a>'s blog now. It's been up since Monday morning, but I've been busy and haven't been on here, so I'm telling you now. Go and read it. Michelle's done an excellent job of setting up a really interesting plot. Can't wait to see what comes next. She's got pictures up from a weekend getaway on there first, I think if you scroll down, you'll be able to find it. <br /><br />Also, I check my audience to see who's been looking at my blog and I just want to say...wow....and thank you.<br /><br />When I started this little blog, I never dreamed I'd have people reading my blog from Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil...the list goes on and on. I can't believe it. I'm wondering if they just happened on it and it was a mistake. That's a lot of mistakes though. So I'll just say<br />Thanks for taking the time to stop by and I think you people are really nice to take the time to stop and read a few of my words.<br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-7963677305585235502012-06-04T07:34:00.002-05:002012-06-04T07:34:51.888-05:00Round Robin BlogvelIt's been a while since I've posted anything on here. Tried to get done with school and then got a spark of an idea with my manuscript, so I've been working on that.<br /><br />I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be in a 'Round Robin Blogvel'. This is a title my friend Michelle at <a href="http://www.greenwoman.wordpress.com/">Greenwoman</a> made up last year when she came up with the idea of having blogging/writer friends to all write a chapter for a story. She wrote the first chapter and each week somebody else took over and wrote the next one. It sounded like a lot of fun, but at the time I was a little too shy to participate in it. I wrote a short story for a blog contest she had. I ended up writing three for three different blog buddies last summer. They turned out better than I ever thought they would. <br /><br />So this year, when she said that was so much fun, she wanted to do it again, I said I would. I think there are 14 of us, and she'll write the first and last chapter. The chapters will go up every Monday. I'm not scheduled until July, so the story will be well on it's way by the time I get to it. She'll post it&nbsp; on her blog sometime today. As I type this, it's still WAY early in the morning in Oregon, so it will be a little while. I can't wait to see what she's come up with. Her imagination rocks!<br /><br />I'll make sure to have a link to each chapter on the other writer's blogs, so stay tuned. If you decide to read this remember, there are a lot of different writers with all different styles. It's not a contest to see who can write the best chapter. So don't judge me...lol. I'm sure as far as experience and quality of writing, I'm pretty low on the&nbsp; totem pole. This is to challenge us to start a story and twist and turn it and hopefully keep it interesting. I'll be in and out today running errands, so when her post goes up, I'll let you know. :D<br /><br />Hope your week is a great one<br /><br />SPSuzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-24640667529415852222012-05-10T21:00:00.000-05:002012-05-10T21:00:18.422-05:0020 something years of doing this.... and the Blue Angels!So it's been a little while since the A-Z challenge. Since then, I've been trying to get through a birthday...I on the downhill slide toward 50 now, which is a little scary...<br />Our 22nd anniversary was May 5th. When you reach the 'twenties' in an anniversaries, you start to feel old. Like REALLY old.<br /><br />I can remember when I first started teaching and veteran teachers would say..."This is my 20-something year to teach" and I'd think....'Wow...they've been at this a long time. They really know what they're doing and they're good at it.' I was in awe of them.<br /><br />And now, here I am. A member of the elite. I always thought that if anybody made it past twenty years, that they were meant to do the teaching thing. I do know quite a bit about teaching music to elementary kiddos, but you never know everything. There's always a new way to present something. I try to teach different activities to keep my brain fresh. I don't usually teach from a detailed lesson plan because I never teach the same lesson the same way. My brain is creative enough to come up with new ways to do things. Keeps me from getting bored--unless there is a 'best way'...then I go with that.<br /><br />I've also been married the same number of years I've been teaching. Got married and got a job in the same year. I was lucky. You'd think I'd feel like I really knew what I was doing after teaching&nbsp; AND being married that long. I have come to learn that the teachers I idolized and thought they were so cool, probably felt just like I do now. I know what I'm doing, but you never stop trying to get better and learning something new. I'm naturally curious, so my curiosity has become my ally in my teaching and in my marriage...lol <br /><br />On another note...we had some excitement today.<br /><br /><br />The Blue Angels flew over our school this afternoon, which was a perfect day weather-wise. It's really hard to teach when they go 'booming' by. They zoomed past us and over us all afternoon.&nbsp; It's so cool to watch them. They flew so low, it felt like the air was being pierced as they cut through it. My partner teacher and I decided to take our 3rd graders outside for a few minutes to watch them. The pitch was so high when they flew by us, some of the kids had to cover their ears. I think they did it on purpose because a ton of kids were outside waving at them. It was pretty cool for everybody. There's an air show in Smyrna this weekend so they're in town practicing.&nbsp; One of the perks to teaching this close to the Smyrna Airport.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ScGob6TUcXE/T6xxHwxcq5I/AAAAAAAAAVI/aw4d44LYmhs/s1600/Blue+Angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ScGob6TUcXE/T6xxHwxcq5I/AAAAAAAAAVI/aw4d44LYmhs/s1600/Blue+Angels.jpg" /></a></div>This was them flying over school today. SO COOL! One of our teachers took this...We were as excited as the kids were. ;)<br /><br />So that's been my excitement these past few weeks. Hope you guys have had great weeks since the challenge.<br />I need to make a schedule so I can remember to blog. I really liked the challenge of doing the A-Z blog posts. I may come up with something else to keep me motivated to blog more. &nbsp; :)<br /><br />For now...have a good one. :D<br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-54906042924242382982012-04-29T08:31:00.000-05:002012-04-29T08:31:15.898-05:00X...Y...and Z...Well...I got a little sidetracked the past two days. I turned one year older yesterday and barely had time to go out to eat with my husband. We did make it though and it was a lovely meal, but my poor little blog got neglected in all the hullaballoo...<br />So here we are at the end of the A-Z challenge.<br />I needed an alarm to help me remember to post something. My life is pretty busy, like everyone else. I've enjoyed meeting some new blogger buddies and will enjoy reading their blogs from now on. I need to be more diligent about blogging, but right now, it's just hard to remember to squeeze it in. So here are my last three posts for A-Z. :)<br /><br />X is for Xylophones. I had to do this one because I share a music room with a whole table stacked with xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels. I'm a elementary music teacher and these are the tools of my trade. THis is a set from the West Music catalog. That's usually where we buy our instruments from. In this pic is a Bass Xylophone (largest), an Alto Xylophone(xylos have wood bars), an Alto Metallophone, a Soprano Xylophone an Alto Glockenspiel&nbsp; and a Soprano Glockenspiel(smallest). This is a basic Orff set that music teachers use. We have a ton more of each of these, except for the bass. We have one bass Xylophone and one Bass Metalllophone because they cost so much. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YqJ7jEI16o/T50_Tuu_7aI/AAAAAAAAAUA/TJlTsLX2Uds/s1600/Orff+instruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YqJ7jEI16o/T50_Tuu_7aI/AAAAAAAAAUA/TJlTsLX2Uds/s1600/Orff+instruments.png" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Y....Yawn....I seem to be doing a lot of that lately. I probably don't get enough sleep, but such is the life of a mom. :)<br /><br /><br /><br />Z...Zebra print<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I have a teenager who wants her room to be painted pink with zebra print accents Like comforter, sheets, pillows...zebra.....<br />She'll be eighteen in May so I have a feeling most of what she gets for her birthday will have some sort of zebra print on it. She's already zebra-ed up her car. She got a steering wheel cover, floor mats&nbsp; seat covers and seat belt covers for Christmas. And her phone case is zebra...you would think that would be enough....now it's spreading to her bedroom....lol. So what to do...I've already bought the paint so she can paint her room this summer. It's been the same red, white and blue stars and stripes since she was eight, so I guess she was due. ;)<br />I'll post some pictures at the end of the summer or when we get it finished..which ever comes first. :)<br /><br />I found this pictures and I think this is what she has in mind, except I'm not putting black paint on the walls because it'll get on EVERYTHING else in the process. The pink will be enough...lol I might cave in and paint the blue stripes on her wall black, but that will be a very small can of black paint...This does look cute though.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_kAdnv-mJng/T51AwaqYluI/AAAAAAAAAUI/1q7iMQBs90U/s1600/zebra-pink+bedroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_kAdnv-mJng/T51AwaqYluI/AAAAAAAAAUI/1q7iMQBs90U/s320/zebra-pink+bedroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-61135988472850424942012-04-26T18:01:00.001-05:002012-04-26T18:01:07.566-05:00W is for Writing and WitchesI think I just figured out a new story line...hahaha<br /><br />So first ...I'm doing two W's because I'm kinda behind. My schedule has gotten thrown off this past week, so I've been trying to double up to keep up. So I figured since I've been not exactly following the schedule, I owed you an extra post. Even if they aren't very long.<br /><br />Writing....my new favorite thing. LOVE it. Love to make up things for these imaginary people running a muck in my head. I make up new things for them to say and do. Then I put them in places around the world that I love or want to learn about. So as they walk the streets of London, I can look at maps on Google Earth and see what they see. I think I've written some of my favorite characters so many different times, that I know them just like I know my friends. I know their personalities and I know what they like and don't like. I think that's so cool. They're like my good friends. My imaginary friends. I made up stuff all the time when I was little. Scenarios full of danger and going after the 'bad guys' while I climbed rusty fences or trees. I guess this is the same thing.<br /><br />Witches....another thing I used to do was pretend to be Samantha on "Bewitched".<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYr9ZjkXYls/T5nMLxcm__I/AAAAAAAAATs/MeQd6P1H_7Y/s1600/Elizabeth+Montgomery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYr9ZjkXYls/T5nMLxcm__I/AAAAAAAAATs/MeQd6P1H_7Y/s1600/Elizabeth+Montgomery.jpg" /></a></div>I loved her. I thought she was so cool. I practiced the nose twitching thing in the mirror until I got so good at it, I expected things to start levitating.&nbsp; I always wondered what it would be like to have magical powers like Samantha.<br /><br />I think I know why she didn't always want to use magic. I think it would be boring to be able to snap your fingers and get anything you wanted. But using it to heal others would be great. But if you could fix everything with magic Then there would never be any conflict..ever. Would that be a good thing? Possibly..but once again...boring. <br /><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-792327293126587762012-04-24T20:55:00.002-05:002012-04-24T20:58:52.188-05:00U is for .....Ummm and V is for VampireI don't know about you, but I catch myself saying 'Ummm', way more than I should. It's such a bad habit. A lot of times my brain will go completely blank and I'll search for the word that has suddenly hidden itself behind a bush in my frontal lobe.<br />Sometimes I can find the word. It'll come popping out from behind the bush, "Here I am" and sometimes I can't. It seems like my old pal, 'Umm' is there to help me locate whatever thought I've lost.<br />Still, if over used, Ummm can be really annoying.<br /><br />V is for Vampire<br /><br />This is almost too easy.<br />I have a confession to make. I used to be SO afraid of vampires. I had a fear of fangs. Can you believe that? So I didn't really get over my 'Fang-fear' until I was drug into Dracula, with Gary Oldman. Finally, I faced my fear head on. When I was little, I'd seen flashes of Christopher Lee in movie clips and things like that and let me tell you. He was FREAKIN' scary looking.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kIg8tuaJ43s/T5clRF0qYuI/AAAAAAAAATE/l7l5mrim1QA/s1600/Christopherleevamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kIg8tuaJ43s/T5clRF0qYuI/AAAAAAAAATE/l7l5mrim1QA/s320/Christopherleevamp.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>It's his fault. Look at him. He's the originator of my Fang Fear....see????<br /><br />So then, after we got married, Dracula, with Gary Oldman came out in the theater. Already an improvement...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXdcDRz_5CU/T5dUXE45IbI/AAAAAAAAATM/h7lGbrnVea4/s1600/GaryOldmandracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXdcDRz_5CU/T5dUXE45IbI/AAAAAAAAATM/h7lGbrnVea4/s1600/GaryOldmandracula.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Yeah, he had fangs, but he was much better looking...and then...there came....<br /><br />Edward...Dang. Hot vamps are all the rage now. You can close your eyes and throw a rock at the YA section in any bookstore and hit a vamp book without even trying. He's my favorite. Can't help it. After reading all the books and seeing the first movie, Rob inspired me to want to write another story using him as the actor, but in a different character. But I'll always be grateful to Edward. And I'll always be grateful to Stephenie Meyer for being able to come up with a believable set of vamps that didn't have over-sized canines to mess up their beautiful faces. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gboUqJvHtvw/T5dYW5nEKQI/AAAAAAAAATk/grbBaFBiQV4/s1600/RobPasEdward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gboUqJvHtvw/T5dYW5nEKQI/AAAAAAAAATk/grbBaFBiQV4/s320/RobPasEdward.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>If I'm doing this in chronological order, first came Edward and then came Eric. Rob is still my favorite. Just clarifying that.<br /><br />Yes...I'm a True Blood fan from the first episode. Me and my husband are both addicted. It's one of the few shows we both agree that we don't want to miss. He has his reason (Sookie) and I have mine ....Eric.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LDMXx5geLQY/T5dWEqMWHdI/AAAAAAAAATU/3h7rgVR190Y/s1600/Eric-Trueblood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LDMXx5geLQY/T5dWEqMWHdI/AAAAAAAAATU/3h7rgVR190Y/s320/Eric-Trueblood.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br /><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-57730250454146586552012-04-23T20:23:00.000-05:002012-04-23T20:23:11.572-05:00S is for....Shannon and T is for ThinkOk...so I'm doubling up again because of the Prom, which by the way, went off without a hitch. I was very proud and excited. I got her zipper zipped without breaking, his boutonniere on without any blood (mine or his) got make up/hair/shoes/purse/clothes for both of them for the after party/ and took quite a few really good pictures. Everybody had a lot of fun. Next year I'm taking off the whole day instead of just half a day, so we're not quite so rushed. That will be the only thing I tweak for next year. So, my oldest baby, Shannon....she's a junior and this was her first Prom. Needless to say, she looked beautiful and completely happy next to her boyfriend, Austin. They were so cute. Both of them were&nbsp; a bundle of nerves until we started taking pictures. After that, they relaxed and enjoyed it, which was my goal all along.<br />So now that you've heard all about it, here are two pictures from their special night.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qbXKJ_3FXGE/T5X8Q6ZMiZI/AAAAAAAAASc/LeK1dkKon2A/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qbXKJ_3FXGE/T5X8Q6ZMiZI/AAAAAAAAASc/LeK1dkKon2A/s320/001.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Yeah...I know...they're so freakin' cute. I'm so proud of her. She's growing into a fine young lady. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-42m-8-C0KhA/T5X8cfklOmI/AAAAAAAAASk/d4bkUvR0Vkw/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-42m-8-C0KhA/T5X8cfklOmI/AAAAAAAAASk/d4bkUvR0Vkw/s320/012.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />So that's what I did on Friday, tried to recover from staying up so late on Friday night, so I paid for it the next day...all day...<br /><br />Now for T.....<br />The first thing I thought of was Think....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zz7townuq9g/T5X9OX1HjpI/AAAAAAAAASs/oW6Gk9WYZg8/s1600/winnie+the+pooh.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zz7townuq9g/T5X9OX1HjpI/AAAAAAAAASs/oW6Gk9WYZg8/s1600/winnie+the+pooh.gif" /></a></div>Think, think think.....think Pooh, think..... <br />All that comes up is how my brain wants to go in so many different directions. Sometimes, it's a creative thing and I can use it to my advantage, but sometimes....my distracted brain has&nbsp; a hard time remembering things. Sucks. This is not a new thing. Hasn't gotten worse with age. It's always been this bad. My grandmother used to say I was living too fast. She was probably right.<br /><br />So then, my brain goes in a different direction....told you it would.<br /><br />Stinkin' thinkin'.<br />That's the perfectionism part of my personality that keeps me from doing something, like cleaning my house, or writing my book, because I think it has to be perfect. This term comes from 'The Flylady'. If you've never heard of her, I'm going to do you a huge favor and give you her free website. It's SO cute and so helpful. She's always so encouraging because she's been there. I need to get back on some of her routines. When I did them and got rid of my Stinkin' Thinkin', my house was cleaner and I felt like I could do more. I've fallen off the Flylady bandwagon. I need to get back on it so I can finish this dang book....yes. I said dang. I'm from the country--don't judge me. ;)<br />Here's the flylady's website. She's wonderful! www.flylady.net&nbsp; If you have trouble cleaning your house or finishing projects, she can help. <a href="http://www.flylady.net/">www.flylady.net</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6wj_4BS3C4/T5X_dlGKHfI/AAAAAAAAAS0/IWeQ9rq7mVw/s1600/flylady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6wj_4BS3C4/T5X_dlGKHfI/AAAAAAAAAS0/IWeQ9rq7mVw/s1600/flylady.jpg" /></a></div><br />Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176002847087533450.post-7438293310803006772012-04-20T06:23:00.000-05:002012-04-20T06:23:34.559-05:00Time to catch up..Q and RSo since my house is full of 'pre-Prom anxiety', I've gotten behind on my posts. So I'm going to attempt to double up today so I won't get left behind.<br />I guess since I'm an elementary school teacher, most of the things that pop in my head are 'little kid' words. Like<br />Q....Queen....But then my imagination takes over and I can't keep it it check. Kinda like a runaway horse.<br />I can't imagine what it would be like to be the Queen of England. Her lineage dates back so far, its almost scary. I'm not sure I'd want everybody to know every single one of my relatives and all of the good and bad things they did through the centuries. And I think it's also ironic that the people who started this country wanted to get away from the king and queen thing and yet today, we're still enamored with the royal family. That's just a little funny to me. I have the utmost respect for the Queen and I wish I could walk through the hallways of Buckingham palace, but I'll have to be content with getting to see it from the outside, back in 1985.<br /><br />R...is for Rob....My brother and Rob Pattinson. No, Rob Pattinson is not my brother...heehee<br />&nbsp;We have a lot of Rob's and Roberts in our family on my dad's side. My dad's first name is Robert, but that's not the name he goes by. That's where my brother's name originated. I love my little brother, who grew taller than me when he was in high school. I'm 5'4", he's 6'1".<br />If it weren't for falling in love with Rob/Edward, I wouldn't have ever considered writing as another way to express myself. I thought if Stephenie Meyer, who had three small kids at the time, could write a book, maybe I could too. I wanted Rob in another story, so I started typing....years later, I have the equivalent of about 4 books. Who knew?? Now the task is going through all of it and finding something worthy of keeping...I know....good luck with that.Suzanne Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06834642736939021921noreply@blogger.com3